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The North, East and West (NEW) Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said that the move will see more people being given care at home and save £2.6million.

Seaton Hospital

Closures at both Seaton and Okehampton community hospitals began on August 21, with Honiton Community Hospital closures starting the week beginning August 28 and at Exeter Community Hospital in Whipton on September 4.

Inpatient services at the hospitals will cease from these dates but all other services will continue as normal.

A similar vigil will be held outside Honiton Hospital on Monday at 11am.

Cllr Martin Shaw, Independent East Devon Alliance County Councillor for Seaton & Colyton, said: “There was a lot of sadness and anger about the hospital bed closures and the people feel that they are just being ignored. The beds are now empty so we appear to have lost the battle to save them, but we will be pressing to bring more services into the hospitals and into the local communities.”

He added: “NEW Devon CCG has shamefully ignored the views of the community in Seaton, Colyton, Beer and Axminster and their elected representatives in the town, parish, district and county councils, all of whom have protested against this decision.”

The bed closures are expected to achieve savings of £200 to £300 per bed day, with the figure more likely to be at the lower end initially because of the reinvestment required to deliver the new model of care, the CCG claim.